


Super Soldier...Syndrome?

by HisAsgardianAngel



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Birth, Birth in a Car, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Has Issues, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Bucky Barnes Remembers, Bucky Didn't Go Back into Cryo, Bucky Learns to Trust Himself, Bucky Speaks Romanian, Captain America: Civil War (Movie) Spoilers, Down Syndrome, Emergency Medical Technicians, F/M, Forgive Me, I Write Way Too Many Stories Like This, Might Be a Two or Three Shot, Parent Steve Rogers, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Pre-Serum Illness Worries, Pregnancy, Pregnant!Reader, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Steve Rogers, Reader-Insert, Slight Relapse, Spoilers Are Small But You've Been Warned, Steve Feels, Super Soldier Serum, Tony and Bucky Have Made Up, Trisomy 21, breech birth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-06
Updated: 2016-06-06
Packaged: 2018-07-12 14:27:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7109077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HisAsgardianAngel/pseuds/HisAsgardianAngel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The reader is nine months pregnant and eager for her husband, Captain America himself, to come home from a long mission. When he finally returns, it is up to you to convince his broken and brainwashed best friend that he is a man worth saving...if your unborn daughter has anything to say about it...it just might work.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Super Soldier...Syndrome?

You were lying in bed, caught in the terrible limbo between consciousness and a good night's sleep. You were restless, worried sick. Your husband Steve was out fighting a mission with the Avengers…you had seen the footage on the news. It had gotten ugly. How could you lie here in the place beside his side of the bed, the place where his sculpted body should be sleeping soundly, not knowing whether or not he was going to make it home. It was making you nauseas. You sat up sharply, feeling your unborn child kick you in your ribs hard, as if to say "I've had enough!"

"I know it, baby. Mama's worried too." You sigh in resignation, rubbing the sleep from your eyes as you got up to go sit on your living room couch. You glance at the clock as you pull a blanket in your lap—3 AM. This was getting to be ridiculous, Steve wouldn't be happy knowing he was keeping you and your daughter up at night, plaguing your thoughts. You attempt to push all thought of him from your mind, grabbing for the remote to your television and putting it on one of your favorite shows.

You had always dreamed of being a cop. Not seriously, of course, your true passion was writing…but there was a little girl inside of you who was still eager to catch the bad guys, to wear the badge; for a little while at least, TLC's "48 Hours Hard Evidence" allowed you to do that. The episode you were watching followed the 1994 murder of a millionaire in California. You were instantly suspicious of the victim's girlfriend…you had a feeling she had been cheating on him. Just the look in her eyes was raising the hair on your arm, watching her report to the police, the evidence at the crime scene flashing before you in a multitude of pictures. Blood was splattered all over the walls, it was in the girlfriend's hair, under her finger nails…what the hell had she done? Your eyes were glued to the screen, finally forgetting your worries as you immersed yourself in the story. The familiar, eerie feeling that the show always elicited washed over you. It was proverbial, welcomed. What you weren't expecting was the sound of your own front door opening and shutting, your body automatically convulsing as a shriek rose from your chest.

"Baby?!" You recognized the alarmed voice as belonging to your husband as you immediately calmed, though your heart began to beat even faster with pure excitement.

"Stevie!" You breathed in relief, standing instantaneously to greet your soldier, who was so battered and bruised that it broke your heart in half. He looked up at you from underneath those long eyelashes of his, a crooked, loving smile creeping across his features.

"Those shows are bad for your paranoia you know." You ignore his teasing, all but running into his open arms and nuzzling your face tenderly into his chest.

"Thank god you're safe. I was so worried." He kissed the top of your head, whispering sweet nothings to you about never having to worry, as you simultaneously reached up to gingerly touch his bloody lips.

"You're hurt." You whisper it, quieting further as you notice the way Steve's baby blue eyes are hooded, his face inching closer to you ever so slightly.

"Doesn't matter. You're safe. Nothing matters except for that." He replied. Steve closed the distance abruptly, capturing your lips chastely, sweetly. His large hands cupped your stomach, his grin spreading as he felt your baby gently kicking. He had been away for pushing a month, he had really missed this. When you broke the kiss he rested his forehead against your own, still rubbing small circles along your tummy in pattern with your daughter's movements.

"How has our baby girl been? You're close to our due date now." He asked softly, humming with satisfaction as he felt you wrap your arms around his neck.

"The doctor says she's doing great. It'll be any day now…so I'm glad her daddy is back home. We missed you." You feel Steve's lips melt against your own once more, with more passion. You open your mouth to him, practically purring as you felt the super soldiers tongue slip in and explore familiar territory. Steve grunted, pulling you tighter against his body. He loosened his grip when he felt you jump in his arms, pulling away slightly with a bright expression in your eyes.

"I knew it! I knew the wife did it!" You shouted, having been listening to the television program in the background. Steve chuckled, that favorite lopsided, boyish smile lighting up his face once more. You knew Steve was about to tease you again, and you opened your mouth quickly to suggest that he take all that playfulness to the bedroom. Unfortunately, there was a knock on the door, a whine escaping your lips as Steve let you go and moved to see who had arrived.

Your eyebrows rose in surprise as Bucky Barnes stepped into your living room, about as equally battered as his best friend. His metal arm was unhinged, hanging like scraps from his shoulder and he looked as if he might pass out. You could see Steve visibly tense with worry, his eyes almost green as they seemed to darken with the mood and atmosphere around them.

"Buck? I thought Tony took you home with him to fix that arm up, what's going on?" Bucky was unresponsive, his eyes glazed over as if he wasn't in his right mind. You were studying Steve's face intently, knowing that he knew Buck better than anyone in the whole world. Steve knew what that face meant, he knew Bucky was somewhere between himself and HYDRA.

"He knew to come here for help, that's a good sign." Steve uttered to you quietly, wrapping an arm around Barnes in support and nodding his head toward the master bathroom. You didn't know if Bucky was having a relapse or why, but you knew the circumstances of his abuse and torture…you couldn't bring yourself to be afraid. You wanted to help him. Barnes was engaged to your best friend, [Your best friend's name]. You knew he'd likely come here out of some unconscious effort to protect her from himself, and you also knew that [your best friend's name] would want you to be the one to make sure he made it back to her safely.

You grabbed a clean washcloth and ran it under some hot water while Steve sat Bucky down on the toilet. He just kind of sat there, staring straight forward, a pained look on his face as if he were struggling on the brink between soldier and assassin.

"I need to know what happened to him. Bucky was fine when we left, I wouldn't have come home knowing he was like this. I'm gonna call Stark. Will you watch him for me?" You nod.

"Of course." You wrung out the wash cloth and approached Bucky slowly, carefully. There were lacerations on his neck, dried blood caked all over him. You very delicately pressed the cloth against his skin, attempting to clean him before you felt the cold clamp of metal close around your throat. You stilled immediately, thankful that the arm was not fully functional and that you could still kind of breathe.

"B-Bucky." You choked out, trying to turn your head as much you could so that you could make eye contact with him.

"Bucky you're h-hurting me, stop." You could hear Steve approaching the bathroom, panic shooting through you. You knew Steve would try to intervene, and you were afraid that would result in Bucky lashing out in ways that could prove potentially fatal for your baby. Steve stopped dead in his tracks when he stumbled across his wife struggling, his blood running cold at the sight of you. You assert that he isn't to move, and he doesn't. You take as deep a breath you can and reach for Bucky's human hand, moving it toward your stomach as his metal one tightened against your neck.

"Buck…feel. Y-You know her; you know our Valerie. Your g-god-daughter." Valerie kicked you hard, Bucky seeming to respond to the feeling mentally. He let you go and recoiled completely, standing and backing up against the bathtub away from you. You gasp gratefully for air and nod in thanks at Bucky, who was looking at you like he'd just ran over a bag of puppies.

"[Your name]?" Before you could respond you watched Buck meet Steve's gaze, the guiltiest look plastering his face as he tore from the room, pushing your soldier completely out of the way. Steve ran after him, following the other soldier back into the living room and grabbing him by his good arm.

"Bucky wait, that wasn't you—" Bucky whipped around instantly, ripping his arm from Steve's grasp as his crystal blue eyes filled with hot, thick tears.

"Wasn't it?! You should have known better than to leave her in there with me alone, I'm dangerous! I could have…Steve, if I'd hurt your child I'd have never forgiven myself." Steve sighed heavily, unsure of what to say. Tony had had a lot to say over the phone, and apparently Bucky had been acting trigger-y all night, [your best friend's name] had warned him that he'd been having PTSD related nightmares and episodes. Why she'd told Tony and not him was something Steve couldn't quite fathom…maybe she was trying to spare the new father worry, he didn't know.

"She has faith in you, we both do. You just proved that you'd never hurt our little girl, can't you see that? Bucky, you aren't this monster that HYDRA has convinced you you are. I promise you're not." Bucky shook his head, looking apologetically at you as you fought to catch your breath and followed the duo to the family room.

"No. I don't think I should be around until Valerie is born…I'm not taking any risks." You walk toward him, reaching for his hand, though he flinched away.

"Bucky…" Your eyes are pleading with him, but he backs away instinctively, his big blue eyes looking almost grey as he shot his best friend the most profound kicked-puppy face you'd seen in a long time.

"Don't do this, Buck. We're your family. Go sit down on the couch, I'll call [your best friend's name] to come and make sure everything is alright." Bucky opened his mouth to protest when he noticed your expression from the corner of his eyes. The soldier's eyebrows furrowed, a concerned look blending with his guilt-ridden demeanor.

"You alright, honey?" He asked you affectionately, having become close with you through both your best friend and Steve. You had always liked Bucky, he might have been the sweetest man alive apart from your husband. You were clutching your bump, trying to take a breath through the pain suddenly ripping through you.

"I don't mean to alarm either of you but uh…I think; I think my water just broke." Well…that did it. Every emotion coloring Steve and Bucky's body language drained instantly at those words, everything else fading away as panic began to settle in its place.

"Bucky, call [your best friend's name] please, get her to come as quick as she can and while we wait on her I'll pack a bag for the hospital." Bucky pulled out his phone obediently and Steve exchanged a glance with you, his eyes softening as he saw how distressed you looked. He pulled you against him gently, large muscular hands cupping your belly as he pressed a chaste kiss against your lips.

"I know you're worried, but our little girl is a fighter. She's gonna be born just perfect, Trisomy 21 or not." Steve's voice was so full of love that it nearly wounded you, you knew how much he wanted this baby…the baby that had been diagnosed with Down Syndrome upon your first ultra sound. In your heart you knew Steve was right, Valerie was going to be perfect no matter what, and you'd mostly come to terms with her disability these last few months. It was just that you were afraid. Afraid her disability would cause her more health issues, like holes in her heart or other conditions that Steve might blame himself for. He'd taken the news hardest, pushing a lot of blame on his pre-serum illnesses.

"No matter what happens it isn't your fault, okay Stevie? It's just something that happens, perfectly healthy couples have children with Down Syndrome every day." You assure him in a whisper, running your hands tenderly through his soft blonde hair. A pained look dances behind his eyes briefly, though its gone as quickly as it came and he kisses you one more time before going to pack your bag.

You try to lie down on the couch for a little bit, listening to Bucky speak in hushed Romanian whispers on the phone. You wished you knew what he was saying to your best friend although you were in too much pain to ask. You felt like your labor was going faster than it should, contractions slamming you one after another. You took a deep breath, rubbing your stomach gently in an attempt to calm the child whose feet you could feel wiggling around dramatically inside of you. They didn't feel like they were in the right place, as if she were kicking you in the pelvis. You knew that breech births were common in Down Syndrome pregnancies, and the thought made you shudder.

"Come on baby girl, you're gonna n-need to turn around for mommy, okay?" You struggle to pant out quietly, your eyes still glued to Bucky as he anxiously stared out the window. When he finally hung up his cellular he walked toward you slowly, kneeling before you and using his metal hand to delicately brush your sweaty hair from your face.

"B-Bucky…" You whine, watching him tense and nearly flinch when you rested your hand atop his own. He clearly didn't feel safe or comfortable, but you needed his companionship while Steve was busy in the bedroom. You look up at him from underneath your eyelashes, pouting slightly in the hopes that he would tell you what he'd said to his fiancé on the phone. He sighed heavily.

"Okay, [your name], take my hand." He grumbled with resignation, helping you stand and walking with you over to the large window in the living room. Your heart sunk…it was raining cats and dogs outside. It looked almost dangerous to drive in, water standing in the streets as if it may flood. Bucky squeezed your hand comfortingly.

"I know how much you need her right now, but [your best friend's name] lives about 30 minutes from here, she's afraid she wouldn't make it that far in this weather so she's gonna meet us at the hospital." You turned wide, terrified eyes to the soldier.

"What about us? What if we don't make it to the hospital? It's a mile from her house!" Bucky smirked, wrapping an arm around your shoulders with a reassuring wink.

"With Steve driving? We have nothing to worry about, okay? We'll get there." You had to admit, with the amount of times your husband had been involved in high speed car and motorcycle chases that was just about true…Steve could do anything. You could feel your child's feet dropping lower into your birth canal, an intense contraction doubling you over.

"Yeah well…we better get a move on it or Valerie isn't going to wait." Bucky nodded, calling for Steve to hurry his ass up with the packing. It wasn't much longer until your super soldier was running to your side, tossing the diaper bag at Buck and grabbing his keys from the peg by the door. Steve scooped you into his arms, placing a kiss on your temple as he carried you out to the car swiftly and saw to it that you were safely laying down in the backseat. Bucky climbed into the passenger side and Steve revved the engine of his blue Volkswagen, dialing Avengers Tower as he did so. You were suddenly excited…you should have realized you were going to have a hospital room full of Avengers waiting and eager to meet the newest addition to the team.

Your contractions got worse and worse the longer you were in the car, and 25 minutes in you weren't sure you could make it another five. Steve took his eyes off the road for just a moment, turning to tell you not to worry, you were gonna make it…and that was when it happened.

"STEVE!" You heard Bucky scream, unable to process what was happening as the car began to hydroplane. Your body jerked on impact, struggling to sit up so you could see out the window. Panic tore through you immediately, the car had run full force into another car in a parking lot off the side of the highway. Steve instantly reached behind him and grabbed your hand, squeezing it urgently.

"Baby are you okay?" You nod, although you had the urge to push and didn't know how much longer you could hold it off. Steve got out of the car to see what the damage was and check on the people who were inside the car he'd hit when you instantaneously cried out for Bucky.

"B-Buck! I feel her foot Bucky help me!" Bucky turned around swiftly, shock written all over his features.

"Her foot?!" You nod, trying your hardest to catch your breath so you could explain to him that your baby was most definitely coming breech. Bucky's seatbelt was stuck, tearing it off with his bare hands and climbing into the back with you. You had to make room, moving into a crawling position and waiting for Bucky to get behind you.

"She's coming; you're going to have to take my pants down." You say calmly, almost wanting to laugh at Bucky, who was clearly having a panic attack.

"Right now?! You're sure you can't wait?" You roll your eyes.

"Valerie is calling the shots not me! I can feel her leg, it's out of me Buck." Bucky had to think quickly, protecting your modesty by using his jacket to cover up the back window. As he did so he very gingerly pulled your pants down, his heart rate spiking as a pale little leg fell out to greet him…you hadn't been exaggerating.

"Jesus…" He muttered, putting his hands around your hips in order to support you. You moan lightly with relief, rocking back against him as you prepared to start pushing. You didn't have to push hard for the other leg to pop right out, although it was the butt that was going to be a bit of a bitch. Bucky knew better than to touch the baby, it was common knowledge that you were supposed to keep your hands off a breech baby, though he whispered words of encouragement into your ear while simultaneously yelling for Steve. You weren't sure if your husband couldn't hear or if he was too busy with the car, but he never did come and you could feel a burning sensation running through your bits. You scream, Bucky's grip on you tightening as he pushed against you for continued structure. His phone began to ring and he put it on speaker, that way he could keep his hands planted firmly in place for you.

"Bună ziua logodnicul meu. Știu că am întârziat, dar eh ... a avut un accident. Să presupunem că în partea de jos a unui copil în fața mea și am nevoie de tine să chem o ambulanță. Suntem într-o locație Wendy's pe autostrada 18." You try and fail to hold back an ear splitting scream as your daughters behind comes completely out of you, startling [your best friend's name], who responds to Bucky in English.

"I'll have an ambulance on the way, hold on, [Your name]." Hold on, pssh, that was easy for her to say, she didn't have a tiny human slipping out of her backwards. The torso came out rather quickly, but you were prepared for the shoulders and head to be the awful part, taking a deep breath in preparation. You pushed hard, making no progress as you strained with all your might.

"Stop, stop, stop, don't push!" Bucky instructed urgently, running your blood nearly cold. That was never something a mother in labor wanted to hear. What was wrong with your baby?

"Her arms aren't out; I think they're stuck behind her head. It doesn't look like you'll be able to pass her head with her arms like this, I've gotta move them before she suffocates." At this point you burst into tears, you couldn't help it. Here you were already worried for your baby's health post-birth, you hadn't even imagined anything like this happening.

"Steve! Please, I w-want Stevie. I can't do this!" You weep, tears streaming down your cheeks as you felt Bucky let go of you. He didn't know what to do. Fortunately, it was at that time that you heard Steve open one of the car doors.

"Switch places with me Steve, I've done what I could but your daughter is stuck and I think [your name] really needs you right now, not me." Steve paled several shades, reaching back and grabbing for your hand. You brave a look at him, tears in his own deep blue eyes as he fought to find the right words. He looked from your face to your child's body, a body struggling to make it into the world.

"We don't have time; you know that baby. The umbilicus is out; we have about eight minutes to get her out safely or she's going to die." You had learned about that when the doctor warned you about breech babies after your child's diagnosis, but hearing it now…in this moment, from Steve…it broke your heart.

"No! Please, please no." You felt Steve gently take your face in his hands, kissing you roughly, a distraction. He scorched your lips and collided his tongue with your own as Bucky did what he had to do. You screamed into Steve's mouth, feeling Bucky's hands work their way inside of you and take careful hold of your baby. He pulled her arms down and out with one hand, and very softly guided the head out with his other. The next thing you knew there was a loud cry coming from behind you and you let out all the air you'd been holding in your lungs. She'd made it.

Bucky was staring down at the small, slippery child in his arms with wide eyes. Down Syndrome or not, she was the most beautiful little baby he'd ever seen in his entire life. All the obvious signs of Trisomy 21 were there…lower ears, almond shaped eyes…a flattened face. Her tongue was bobbing cutely in and out of her mouth, another sign, though it was strikingly adorable. She smiled up at him as she calmed her cries and in an instant she had her Uncle Bucky wrapped all the way around her finger. Buck handed her to Steve with shaky arms, the super soldier bursting into quiet tears.

"Oh, [your name], she's beautiful." He cooed at her in a way that only a father could. She curled against his large chest contentedly, taking one of Steve's fingers in her tiny fist, much to his surprise. Down Syndrome babies were known for having low muscle tone…but his baby girl was already a fighter, he could tell. She had Steve's blonde hair and your [your color eyes], a perfect blend of the two of you. Steve fell in love hard.

"Can you sit up, [your name]? I think Valerie would like to meet her momma." He whispered gently, smiling gratefully at Bucky as he moved the umbilical cord into a position where you could sit down without cutting off nutrients to your baby. First thing was first, however, and before you touched your child you pulled Bucky into the biggest bear hug in all the world. You nuzzled his neck gently, your hands gripping the back of his shirt tightly.

"Thank you so much. I couldn't have done it without you…you saved her life." You could almost feel Bucky gain a little more confidence in himself as he locked eyes with your husband, who nodded encouragingly at him.

"I told you you'd never hurt her. You're her hero…and ours too." You nod, releasing Buck from your embrace to eagerly take your daughter from Steve.

"I have the perfect middle name for her." You say confidently, your eyes doting upon her every feature. She was so gorgeous, your heart feeling as if it was swelling as that little tongue rolled in and out of her mouth. You look happily at both soldiers, a thousand-watt smile lighting up your face.

"James. Valerie James Rogers." Bucky looked as if he might cry and Steve clapped him on the back playfully.

"Welcome to the family, Jerk." Bucky let out an airy laugh and wiped a tear from his eyes.

"Till the end of the line, Punk."

 

(How I imagine Valerie to look)

**Author's Note:**

> All characters except Valerie belong to Marvel


End file.
